Where's Your Christmas Spirit?
by Addictedtobooks
Summary: It's the night before Christmas Eve and Wally is bored out of his mind. The fact that Artemis can't seem to get into the Christmas "hype" this year is not helping him any. So it's up to him to get to the bottom of what's wrong, and fix it. ASAP. Cute one-shot that was written for Annicaspoon on tumblr for Secret Santa. Merry Christmas everyone 3


Title: Where's Your Christmas Spirit?

Rating/Warnings: G (Fluff. Definitely fluff.)

Character(s)/Pairing(s): Wally/Artemis

Word Count: 1703

Summary: It's the night before Christmas Eve and Wally is bored out of his mind. The fact that Artemis can't seem to get into the Christmas "hype" this year is not helping him any. So it's up to him to get to the bottom of what's wrong, and fix it. ASAP.

Author's Notes: Ahem. Okay. So when I was told I was being your secret Santa I literally put this off... for quite awhile. I wrote 3 or 4 different versions of this story (or more. Probably more). Why? Because _**holy crap**_ Annica you're amazing and deserve an equally amazing present! I don't think I'm _quite_ at the standards of awesomeness you deserve to get for Christmas, but I did do my best on this, and I think I am pretty close? Either way I hope you find some sort of enjoyment out of this doll :3 Sorry about the lack of arrowfam...

As the clock struck ten, a tired groan escaped from Wally. It had been well over an hour now since the blonde across from him had lifted up her book. "Why don't we try going carolling?"

Artemis scoffed, glaring across the couch to him, "No." It was the time of year when the holiday season was in full swing, and the blonde had already had more than her fair share of the Christmas spirit. She was tired of the holiday movie specials, the music, and going shopping anywhere was out of the question. She much preferred being curled up on the couch, reading her book.

"Can we please do something?" Wally asked for a fourth time, sprawled out at his end of the couch. "I'm bored."

"You're always bored."

He frowned, lifting his head up to glare at the back of the book she had, "and since we finished finals you're always reading." His grumbling hardly did anything to ruse her attention. "Why don't we go for fries or Chinese food? Or_ something_! We're on Christmas break, Artemis, you aren't supposed to be reading. Heck, tomorrow's Christmas Eve and-"

"And we'll be spending it with your insane family - who I love, don't get me wrong - but I have to rest up for a day before we visit them. Plus, we already ate dinner tonight."

"You've been resting for three days." He countered, watching as she sighed and finally closed her book.

"What do you want to do, Wally?" She asked, her voice dripping in false sweetness.

Still though, the redhead's face shone with victory. He had wrestled the book for her attention and, for once in these past few days, won. "Anything. As long as it involves us getting off this dingy couch and out of this apartment."

"Fine." Artemis mumbled, tossing his enemy onto the coffee table and standing, "Grab some sweaters, we'll go for a walk or something."

"Sounds perfect babe," He said, already handing over her jacket and pecking her cheek gently.

After a short walk through streets lit up with Christmas lights they decided to stop at the small diner the two enjoyed; the bell ringing as they strolled in and the smell of coffee overtaking them. Wally led the way straight to their usual both, flopping onto the bench while Artemis gracefully sat across from him.

"What can I get you kids tonight?" Their elderly waitress asked, pen and pad in hand. "Our Christmas special perhaps?"

Artemis sighed before answering quickly, "I'll have a milkshake."

"Make that three, please," Wally chimed in with a grin before the waitress sauntered off. He frowned as his gaze fell upon the blonde before him, "You do not seem to be in the spirit of things this year. What's wrong?" The speedster asked, eyebrows creased with worry.

Artemis rolled her eyes, "Nothing is wrong." She mumbled, crossing her arms. She watched as he narrowed his eyes at her, "it's true."

"Liar," he mumbled, his glare never ceasing.

"I just can't get into the Christmas hype this year. I don't know what it is." She explained after a minute of his continuous stare down.

Wally sat back on his bench, satisfied that she had answered but not knowing what to do or say. Before he even had the chance to respond with anything, the waitress was back with their drinks. "Have you tried forcing yourself to enjoy it?" He asked, sipping on one of his two milkshakes.

"Of course not," She answered with another roll of her grey eyes. "That's ridiculous, and I'm pretty certain it would only make me more annoyed."

"And we don't need that," he stated without thinking, earning himself a glare from his girlfriend.

She shook her head and grumbled, "Thanks, Wally." Without another comment she turned her attention back to the glass in front of her. She let her gaze wander to the window as she caught sight of a young couple with their son, all three decked out in Santa Clause hats. "See? I do not see the point in that."

"The point of making their son happy?" The redhead asked, eyebrows raised as he followed her gaze.

"Okay," She mumbled, "I get that part. What I don't get is how Christmas can be such a happy time for some people. That couple has probably spent hundreds of dollars this month - on each other, a tree, presents for their kid, food, everything."

"I'm starting to wonder if you even know the meaning of Christmas, babe." Wally explained, his eyes fixed on her as she continued to stare out to the lit up streets.

She shrugged, but her eyes never left the window, "I know what it means for some people, celebration of a saviour being born. Some of us aren't religious though."

"So for non-religious folks what do you think it is?"

"A hoax setup by stores to steal everyone's money." She muttered, her own eyebrows raised now as she finally turned to face him.

"Are you saying you don't believe it's a time for people - families, friends, lovers, whoever - to get together to celebrate something?" He asked with his arms folded over his chest. He would never understand this girl. While she questioned everything that was Christmas, he loved it. Sure the food and presents were a nice bonus, but what he really enjoyed was the time he got to spend with the people he loved. What was there to not be excited for?

She grumbled under her breath as she took another sip of the drink before her. "I don't know!" she finally said, sloshing the liquid around in her glass.

He stared back at his girlfriend, wide eyed, watching as she brought the straw back to her lips and avoided eye contact. A sudden realization hit the redhead on her dislike or maybe even hatred of Christmas. "You're thinking about your old Christmases, aren't you?"

The girl didn't say anything, but her jaw tensed, and after pushing her cup away she returned to staring out the window. This was the first year she was somewhere other than the small apartment for Christmas, the first place where Christmas could actually be something special. A few minutes later she turned her head to look up into his bright green eyes. "My family didn't celebrate Christmas the way your family does. My mom, even before the accident or her jail sentence, tried to make it happen for Jade and I. But who else besides Lawrence Crock would come along and screw us over? The asshole even told me Santa Clause didn't exist." She let out a weak chuckle. Shaking her head, jaw tense again, she glared down at her now empty glass.

Wally reached over, grabbing hold of one of her hands and she turned her head to face him. "Well you know my family doesn't do things that way, babe. Hell, if you want you could still believe Santa Clause exists and my family won't say a thing. I swear Barry still believes." That little comment caused the couple to erupt into a fit of giggles.

They sat for the remainder of the time in pleasant silence, Wally finishing up his milkshakes while Artemis continued to look out to the streets. It slowly crawled closer to midnight as they exited the diner, the first snow of the year beginning to fall. Wally bent down and placed a loving kiss on the blonde's lips.

"It's Christmas, Wally." She mumbled against his mouth, a small smile twisting her lips.

The gleam in his eyes turned playful, "Christmas Eve, babe."

"Don't ruin the moment," She grumbled, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned in for another kiss.

After a second though he pulled back, "That reminds me," he muttered, digging around in his coat's inside pocket for something. Instead of holding his hand out to her though he stuck it behind his back, a childish excitement taking over his features. "Promise you won't hit me?"

"Wally," Artemis chastised with a frown, folding her arms over her chest. "We said no presents this year." She had guessed the second he had reached into his coat. They had always shared presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day, finding that more often than not they had more alone time then.

"Yes, but babe I'm master at finding hidden gifts. I already know you hid a present for me in the bottom cupboard of the bathroom."

The girl's cheeks reddened, "How do you know it's for you? It could be for anyone."

"If it was for anyone else why would you hide it? We're the only two who live in our apartment." He rationalized, face beaming proudly.

Her glared turned hostile, "Well," she started, huffing slightly, "maybe I just won't give it to you n-"

"Stop." Wally finally said, cutting her off by shoving a small wrapped box towards her. "Just open it. Besides, it's a gift for both of us." The blonde's eyebrow cocked at that, making him rethink his words. "Okay, mind out of the gutter, babe. That's my specialty."

At that she tentatively took the gift out of his hand. She unwrapped it and narrowed her eyes calculatingly at the long, narrow box. "What is this? A necklace? Bracelet? Wally, that is definitely not a gift for-"

"Just _open_ it." He demanded, beginning to lose his patience.

She managed to open the side of the box and tapped it against her palm, the contents slipping out onto gloved hand. "A collar?" Her eyes narrowed as they moved to meet his. "Mind has returned to the gutter, Wallace."

The boy's cheeks turned as red as his hair, eyes widening, "No, no, it's not for... think less inappropriate, more family orientated."

Her jaw dropped, her mouth a perfect 'o' shape as she sat blinking at the collar, "You got us... a dog? But where did you..." she trailed off, eyes jumping up to meet his once more.

"Barry and Iris are hiding him at their house," Wally explained with a grin. "Actually, it was their idea." He watched her reaction, unsure of how she was taking the newest responsibility he had dropped on her. His worry left though as her arms returned to the back of his neck, and her lips pressed against his again. "So..." he mumbled against her lips, a smirk playing along his own, "is that present acceptable?"

A scoff left her lips, shaking her head, "Acceptable. But I'm still not happy you didn't listen."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, breathing out a small laugh, "Merry Christmas, babe."

"Christmas _Eve_." She corrected tauntingly, her mischievous smile returning.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Artemis."


End file.
